Baltimore City Environmental fines appealable?

[georgecole]

What is the name of your state? Maryland

In order to transfer a deed from my mother to me I had to pay $2110 in environmental fines. I paid them to get the deed recorded. However, those fines were bogus. They were due to someone else depositing trash on my lot. I reported it constantly, but to no avail. I sent letters to the board to appeal them. They said they sent me a date to appear, and I did not. I never recevied such a letter. I went there personally, and they said the fines were unappealable. I am aware that the neighborhood assns are taking whatever action they can to clean up the neighborhood, but why must it be taken out on me. Instead of locating the culprits, Env Cntrl just issues summonses to the owner where the debris is deposited. Is there no way I can appeal these fines?

 

[Zigner]

What is the name of your state? Maryland

In order to transfer a deed from my mother to me I had to pay $2110 in environmental fines. I paid them to get the deed recorded. However, those fines were bogus. They were due to someone else depositing trash on my lot. I reported it constantly, but to no avail. I sent letters to the board to appeal them. They said they sent me a date to appear, and I did not. I never recevied such a letter. I went there personally, and they said the fines were unappealable. I am aware that the neighborhood assns are taking whatever action they can to clean up the neighborhood, but why must it be taken out on me. Instead of locating the culprits, Env Cntrl just issues summonses to the owner where the debris is deposited. Is there no way I can appeal these fines?

You were fined for HAVING trash on your yard, not for PLACING trash on your yard. That is an important distinction.
Did you file any police reports when the trash was put there?

 

[georgecole]

reply to zigner question

I had instructed the person staying there to report all deposited debris to bulk trash. He called them on each occasion, reported the situation, and jotted down the confirmation number. I told all this to Environmental Control, but they were not interested.

 

[Zigner]

I had instructed the person staying there to report all deposited debris to bulk trash. He called them on each occasion, reported the situation, and jotted down the confirmation number. I told all this to Environmental Control, but they were not interested.

So, I guess the answer to whether you called the police is "NO".

 

[georgecole]

reply to zigner

Yes, it is true I did not file a police report. Bulk trash was called and told that someone was depositing material at the place where I put my garbage. They did not tell me I had to file a police report. I assumed the confiirmation # they gave me was enough. I have also been told by people in the neighborhood that the City itself was depositing the bulk trash there. The place where I deposit my trash is at the corner of an alley. That alley has no exit so garbage trucks go down there to collect trash and back out when it is collected.
Most of the illegal bulk trash was deposited somewhere else in the alley. To gain
access garbage trucks would move the bulk trash to the corner of the ally (my area) before they came down the alley to pick up trash. Do I have no recourse since I did not
file a police report?

 

[Zigner]

You would be in a much stronger position if you had a paper trail (confirmation numbers alone don't provide that trail).